SAIT Polytechnic.

School's in.

SAIT Polytechnic is one of Alberta's most venerable post-secondary educational institutions. Comprising multiple faculties and disciplines ranging from trades training to television production, SAIT has long been seen as a collection of schools as opposed to a single unified entity. In 1997, the challenge of bringing the various faculties and factions together under a single brand and brand positioning fell to Ci. The goal was to bring all stakeholders in line with a more global and relevant positioning strategy, moving SAIT from stodgy institutionalism to a modern, high-tech hub of learning.

A text book case. Student recruitment.

The upside of a strong economy is everyone is working. The downside of a strong economy is, well...everyone is working. Thus, schools like SAIT were under-subscribed in key programs and faculties. In the Spring of 2005, SAIT needed a better way to appeal to the fence sitters and procrastinators that the right time to apply was right now.

The 3 Rs. Retail. Recruit. Repeat.

Eschewing the categorically typical imagery of ivy towers, dewy eyed graduates and lavish living, the campaign focused on the one thing SAIT had in surplus supply. Seats. In both the literal and metaphorical sense, a seat can be powerfully symbolic. Within this category, the image is anything but typical.

So, if you'll pardon the expression, we focused on the seat. In web, print, broadcast and - most importantly - in the environment where the target actually lived and worked. That meant going to the street, with dozens of actual SAIT branded seats, strategically placed in core downtown areas, complemented by provocative ads in transit stations and bar and restaurant washrooms.

High marks.

Unprecedented, unexpected, and decidedly 'unlike' the category, the campaign created a genuine media buzz. More importantly, over 1,200 new applications poured into SAIT in less than three weeks.